Vane-governok



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES WHITTIER, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

VANE-GOVERNOR FOR STEAM-ENGINES, 86C.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,563, dated November 3, 1857.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES VHrr'rIER, of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fan- Regulators for Steam-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation.v Fig. 2 a side elevation.

My invention consists in certain improvements in that class of steam engine regulators known as fan or vane regulators in which the throttle or register valve is closed more or less by the resistance of the atmosphere against vanes or disks revolved by the engine.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the drawings A is the steam pipe containing the throttle valve. This may be placed on any convenient position on the engine; to this is attached the frame B which carries the regulator. The valve is of that class which is operated by revolving its stem a portion of a turn. rIhe valve stem z' is supported and revolves in suitable bearings a and is continued across the frame B, also having bearings in the two cross braces #l and #E2 of the frame.

To the outer end of the valve stem z' beyond the brace #l is secured a crank C carrying on its outer end a sleeve b in which turns freely a short shaft o, this shaft carries at its outer end the vanes D and at its inner end a pinion E which engages with a gear G, this gear runs loosely on a sleeve da which embraces the valve stem z', and is secured to the braces l and 2, the gear is attached to the hub f of a pulley F which is driven by a band from any convenient revolving part of the engine. Secured to the valve stem z' along side of the brace #2 is a lever I with a counterpoise K which can be adjusted to suit the required speed of the engine.

The operation is as follows: The pulley F and gear G are driven in the direction of their arrows and through the gear E the disks D are revolved in the direction of the arrows #3. New as the speed of the engine increases and the disks D are revolved more rapidly, and consequently receive more resistance from the atmosphere, they will act as a brake applied to the shaft o and as the gears E and G engage, any resistance offered to the revolution of the gear E on its own axis, will cause it to revolve around the axis of revolution of the gear G; in this movement it carries with it the crank C in the direction of the arrow #4 (Fig. 2) and as this crank is attached to the valve stem z' it necessarily revolves it, and checks the speed of the engine, at the same time raising the counterpoise K which has been adjusted to allow the engine to run at the required speed.

By the above described method of attaching the crank which carries the vanes cr disks direct-ly to the valve stem ofa rotary valve I obtain a cheap, simple and efficient regulater, which can be arranged in a compact and convenient form, suitable for stationary engines of any pattern; while its action being direct upon the valve is particularly prompt.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Suspending the fans or vanes D on the crank C (or its equivalent) attached to the spindle of the regulator valve, whereby the resistance of the atmosphere causes them to operate the valve in the manner substantially as herein set forth.

CHARLES I/VHITTIER.

Witnesses THos. R. Roken, EDMUND MASSON. 

